


What Happened to Ruby

by PumpkinTown



Category: South Park
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-15
Updated: 2018-01-23
Packaged: 2019-03-05 03:13:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13378923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PumpkinTown/pseuds/PumpkinTown
Summary: When Craig Tucker's ten year old sister goes missing, local authorities launch a hasty investigation into her disappearance. But after days have passed and no clues, explanation, or little sister turn up, Craig makes the dangerous decision to take matters into his own hands. What waits for him in the dark is far stranger than any prior small town mystery, and with his search for answers constantly being halted by the adults in town, his only hope may be the unexplainable visions of one even stranger boy.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I've literally had this idea for MONTHS and it's been bugging me that I haven't written anything for it so here ya go!

Ruby was not alone.

The autumn air was cool and biting, and orange leaves brighter than her hair dotted a worn road. Her shoes crunched the dead things into fragments, and a periodic wind from the forest blew more into her path. The road was deserted. The sun was falling out of the sky. In the distance, she could make out her quiet suburb. Behind her, the breeze grew stronger.

Ruby was not alone.

"I'm on my way home right now - we can go to town first because you know they have all the best-," the other end of the line cut her off, and she laughed. "Yeah, and Mr. Mackey's side of town doesn't do too bad either."

To her right, a tree branch snapped. She didn't stop.

"They just leave the candy bowl right out there! Also, my mom has to go to the bank and finish up some lame statement shit, and my dad is going out with the Valmers and Testaburgers, so we have the house all to ourselves." She laughed again, and the trees beside her creaked.

"Well, yeah, but it's not like we ever have to see them. Plus, my dad gave me like forty bucks for food. We are good. To. Go." A sharp gust of wind knocked the girl to her side, and her phone clattered against the pavement. She gasped, and looked to the trees. They were gloomy and dark, seemingly stretching over her the more she stared. Ruby suddenly felt the urge to get home as soon as possible.

She reached for her phone and pressed it to her ear, listening for her friend's voice - but the line was dead. The dial tone repeated itself, growing louder as the woods grew bigger. Suddenly, the trees were all around her; so large they swallowed her up. The silhouette of her suburbs looked farther away than they had moments before, and she pushed herself up from the pavement as the wind howled beside her.

Ruby was not alone.

The soles of her shoes clobbered against the ground, the treeline calling to her as she sped through the soy field to her right. She lost the road. She didn't look back.

Behind her the howling wind turned into the howling of something else. It wasn't like anything she'd ever heard before - it seemed to be a noise for her to hear. She pressed her hand to her ears, stumbling over the uneven dirt, ripping up plants with the fronts of her shoes.

The howling grew near.

Ruby was not alone.

She could see the lights on some of the porches now. The sun was nearly gone; just a dull light at the end of the horizon. Her hair whipped frantically in the strong wind, the cold biting her cheeks. 

The street, her street, was just up ahead. She could make it. Just a few more moments, and she could make it. The howling behind her turned into a dull growl. The wind stilled. Her breaths came out ragged and her legs burned.

She looked back.

The growl turned into a high shriek. She couldn't tell for a moment whether it was her voice or something else; something crouched, something watching her. Something coming for her.

She could see it zig-zag through the field. She could see her home so close to her, the town too far away. She could see the moon, and all the stars her brother would explore someday. But she couldn't see the sun. And then she couldn't see anything.

Just like that.

Tricia Tucker was gone.


	2. Curiosity Killed the Cat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the kind comments and kudos!

" **Sometimes Death comes knocking. Sometimes it tears down the walls** ," Clyde read in a comically low voice.

Token shook his head. "That's not even that good of a card. Why are you reading it like that?"

"Because it's Halloween and I'm trying to be spooky." 

"' _Trying_ '", Jimmy emphasized, and the others cracked up. 

"Technically it's beggars night." Tweek added from the kitchen, and Clyde pouted.

"I will unleash my army of zombies unto you, Tweek. Do not test me." 

"Oh yeah, thirteen zombies are _so_ spooky." Craig said monotonously as Tweek snickered behind him.

"Look, all I'm saying is: zombies tearing through your floorboards, roof, and walls? Spooky as fuck."

The three boys sat around a shaggy rug, a stack of worn cards in the middle. Loose game pieces and mismatched dice littered the living room, along with stray chips and M&Ms. Craig stood next to the microwave, waiting for their third bag of popcorn to cook. Tweek sat on the counter next to him, swinging his legs and smiling at their bickering friends.

The clock began to beep, startling Tweek a little. He jumped down from the tabletop, hitting a snickering Craig lightly on the arm. "Who needs zombies when you've got a microwave?" Craig laughed. Tweek held out a plastic bowl as Craig tore the bag open. 

"You'd better watch yourself." Tweek joked. "You don't know what tricks I have hidden up my sleeve."

"Is that right?" Tweek shoved him with his elbow before rejoining their friends by the sofa. Craig wiped a goofy grin off his face before following suit.

"Just play your dumb card, Clyde." Token urged. Jimmy grabbed a handful of popcorn as Tweek sat back down on the couch beside him.

"It's not dumb!" Clyde defended, holding the card to his chest. 

"They're inherently weak creatures, Clyde."

"So? How are you going to stop my army of the damned when they're coming at you from all sides? You can't, Toke. You. Can't"

"Actually I _could_ , as long as I ran faster than-"

A dull knock on the front door interrupted him, startling the rest out of their game. They looked at each other in wide-eyed silence, until another urgent knock broke it. Tweek made a noise in his throat, looking at the door wearily.

"Well," Clyde began in a whisper, "at least Death knocked?"

"Don't be a dumb ass," Craig said,, standing up from his place on the living room floor. "It's beggar's night."

"So?" Clyde squeaked.

Tweek wrung his hands together. "I thought you put out a candy dish?"

Craig reached for the door handle as a long line of thumps sounded against it. "I did."

"Wait-Craig-" Clyde started, standing up. Jimmy and Tweek stood up too, and even Token look genuinely nervous. Craig gulped and opened the door.

"No! Craig! Zombies!" Clyde shouted as the hinges squeaked. On the front porch, with her hand raised for another knock, was a young girl dressed as Little Red Riding Hood. She glanced into the living room where the boys were gathered, and scowled. "What are you losers _doing_?"

Clyde sat back down on the rug. "Nevermind. Not zombies." Token cracked up beside him, and Jimmy sat back down too, releasing a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding.

"No," Craig said, turning back to the girl. "Just one of Ruby's bitchy friends. What do you want?"

She frowned, glancing around the house. "We were supposed to have a sleep-over here." 

Craig's face stayed the same, bored expression. "It's six-fifteen."

She huffed. "Yeah, I _know_ what time it is. We've been waiting for half an hour." She narrowed her eyes. "She was _supposed_ to meet us at the square." Craig opened his mouth, but the girl kept on. "Look, just tell her it's fine if she doesn't want to trick-or-treat, but next time? Don't host the party if you're too old for the candy." She glanced inside the house one more time, then swung around, her braids whipping over her shoulders. Craig watched her go, until she was all the way down the block, the other kids hiding her from view.

"Uh. Craig?" He turned around, the autumn breeze filling the living room. 

Token and Clyde were sitting on the rug, looking up at Tweek. Jimmy was leaning on the couch, his hand on Tweek's shoulder. They all had the same worried expression, except for the boy in question. His eyes were focused beyond the doorway, his eyes glossed over, his hands at his sides. The bowl of popcorn he'd been clutching moments before was now emptied on the floor. Craig looked back outside, hoping to see what Tweek was seeing. There were children dressed as skeletons and werewolves, princesses and pirates. Chants of "Trick or Treat!" and the sound of quick footsteps on pavement filled the air. Parents hurried to keep up with their children, friends laughing and shouting and eating quick bites of candy. Craig didn't see anything out of the ordinary.

"Dude?" Clyde asked, looking at Token nervously. Token shrugged, his face a mix of worry and confusion.

"H-h-hey buddy, w-what's wrong? Tweek didn't respond, and didn't make any indication that he heard Jimmy. Craig kept his eyes on him, reaching to pull the door closed. Suddenly, Tweek took a step forward, shaking off Jimmy's hand. Craig hesitated, his outstretched arm ready to close off the night. Jimmy reached for his crutches behind the couch, and Token and Clyde pushed themselves up from the floor.

"...Tweek?" Craig tried. No response. He shut the door. The metal clicked into place. Tweek's eyes came into focus, and he blinked slowly. Token walked forward, eyeing the two of them wearily. 

Tweek's gaze shifted from the closed door, to Craig, then back to the door. "Dude, what the hell was that?" Clyde said from behind them. Token shushed him.

Craig let go of the door, and took a hesitant step toward his friend. "...Tweek?" He tried again. This time, Tweek heard him. His eyes were wild, and his breathing was suddenly ragged. Token reached out for him but he batted him away, his eyes staying fixed on Craig. 

"Ruby." It's was barely a whisper, but Craig heard it. So did Token, apparently, because he gave Craig a worried glance. 

Craig didn't understand. "What about Ruby?"

But Tweek didn't say anything more. The next thing they all knew, Tweek was rushing to the front door, throwing it open and running into the night. Craig and Token called after him as Jimmy strapped his crutches onto his forearms. "What the fuck was that, you guys?" Clyde yelled, scrambling after the rest of the boys. The wind moaned through the town.

 

# # #

 

"Where the hell did he go?"

"He couldn't have gotten far. He left his bike in your lawn!"

"H-he jus-s-st took off!"

"What the fuck was that? Am I the only one who's wondering what the fuck that was?"

The rubber on their tires skidded across the worn pavement. Suburban houses whizzed by them as the boys dodged kids and parked cars. "Maybe he was _spooked_ by your horrifying zombies", Token offered sarcastically. 

"Careful, T-T-Token. He has thirteen at his disp-dispo-disposal."

"Will you guys shut up?" Craig called behind him. "Whatever happened won't matter much if we don't find him."

"Wait," Token skidded to a stop, and the other boys followed. A few townhouses dotted each side of the street until the road reached a metal gate, painted red and rusted over. 

"What? You think he went over here?" Clyde asked, puzzled. A white sign hung on the front, reading **Road Ends** in bold, black lettering. The pavement beyond was splitting, with weeds and crab grass growing out of it. And beyond that, the woods.

"Look," Token said, setting his bike down and walking over to the gate. "It's open." He pushed on the rusted metal, and it creaked. The chain holding it closed lay in a heap below it. "Since when is it open?"

Jimmy retrieved his crutches and climbed off the back of Clyde's bike. "Who w-w-would w-w-want to go through th-there?" 

"When we were in the seventh grade, everyone used to say Old Farmer kept that gate locked to ward off the monsters in the woods." Clyde mentioned.

"That's stupid," Token said. "How would an old gate keep monsters out of South Park?"

"It doesn't," Clyde muttered. "There are monsters everywhere."

Craig looked at the sky. In only a few minutes, the faded orange and pink hue had disappeared, and the night was completely dark. He looked at his friends. "What time is it?"

Clyde checked his wrist. "Almost seven." Token and Jimmy were still fiddling with the gate.

Craig sighed. "We won't want to be caught out here too late. It's already dark."

Clyde bit his lip, but set his bike down. The two wandered toward the gate, joining the others. "You really think he went this way, Toke?" Craig asked.

He shrugged. "I don't really see many houses up there to snub candy off of. Plus," he looked down the pavement, that turned to dirt up the line. "We don't really have any other leads."

Clyde shuddered. "I _really_ don't want to be lost out there. Especially since it's-" A particularly large gust of wind blew the gate open, and the boys jumped back.

Craig swallowed his fear, and walked past the open gate. "We won't get lost." He said, a little too confidently.

"Oh, okay Hansel, I don't suppose you brought any breadcrumbs with you?" Clyde whimpered, but followed him through anyway. Token and Jimmy shared a look, but marched on nevertheless.

The moment the road turned to nothing, the forest began to moan. The creak of the wood and rush of tall grass followed the group through their journey, drowned out by the hollering of Tweek's name. 

"Why would he come this way?" Clyde asked, when their throats were sore and their determination wavered. 

"You can ask him when we find him, Clyde." Craig said as he helped Jimmy up a muddy incline. Token was trying very hard not to touch anything that looked like it had never been sanitized, which was mostly everything.

Clyde huffed. "And what if we don't? I mean, maybe we should just call the cops? At least they have flashlights."

"I have a flashlight on my phone." Token said, pulling it out of his pocket.

"And walkie-talkies. Rescue mission pretty much requires walkie-talkies."

"We don't need walkie-talkies," Craig said, annoyed. "Because we're right next to each other. And," he said pointedly "It's going to stay that way until we find Tweek and get out of here."

"And we didn't even eat dinner," Clyde continued, glancing around the woods worriedly.

Token turned back to him. "You had like seventeen frozen hot-pockets."

"Cold-pockets," Clyde corrected. "And yes, they were delicious, but I'm talking about "dinner" dinner."

"Dinner-dinner?" Token asked.

"Don't encourage him," Craig muttered.

"Yes. Late dinner."

"That isn't a thing." Token said, calling for Tweek again.

"It isn't now, since we're stuck in the woods, _at night_ , with no leads on an empty-" A guttural growl cut him off, and the others stopped shouting. 

"Was that y-your stomach?" Jimmy asked after a few seconds, and Clyde shook his head.

" _No_ , it wasn't my _stomach_. I think..." Clyde looked around himself. "I think it came from over there." He whispered, pointing at a cluster of bushes and small trees.

They stood still, waiting and listening. The growl stopped as well, and Craig put a finger to his lips. 

'What was that?' Jimmy mouthed. Token shined his flashlight all around them, and after a few minutes of careful quietness, Jimmy broke the silence. 

"G-G-Guys?"

The three turned toward Jimmy's pointed finger. Token's light shone on a hunched figure, with wispy blonde hair and dirt-covered clothes.

"Tweek?" Craig asked. The figure didn't respond, but the group ran over to him anyway.

"Tweek, thank god, what the fuck man-" Token started as Clyde reached out to help him up. 

Craig shone Token's phone toward toward the worn dirt that led them there. "I think I can get us back. Toke, do you have your-"

His next words were cut off by a blood-curdling scream. Clyde snapped his hand back, and the trees creaked. "Dude!" Token launched backward.

"What d-did you d-do?" Jimmy shouted above the moan of the wind.

"I didn't do anything, he just-" Tweek screamed again, but this time it was met with another, from somewhere in the trees.

"Uh, guys!?" Craig joined the others, huddled around Tweek. The shriek came again, somewhere in the forest, closer than before. It wasn't like anything Craig had ever heard. Nothing from any human, anyway.

Clyde ducked down and swung Tweek over his shoulder. "Fuck it! We've got to go!" Tweek didn't scream again, but his eyes were blank. The backs of his hands were covered in blood and muck, and Craig thought he might've been digging somewhere. "Now!" Clyde shouted, and Token tugged Craig away from the pile of dirt and leaves Tweek had unearthed. 

Craig and Token put their arms around Jimmy, the inhuman shrieking behind them drawing nearer and nearer. In front of them, Clyde was yelling things like "I am _not_ dying before second dinner," and "next time we're playing cards at Token's house!"

"Clyde, now would be an awfully good time to summon your Army of the Damned!" Token hollered, his grip on Jimmy slipping.

"Tell me about it, Black!" Clyde yelled back. 

Suddenly, Craig's world turned sideways, and a sharp stab in his foot dragged him backward. He let go of Jimmy's waist, and Token yelled. The dirt and twigs stabbed at him and he struggled to get a grip on something. His hands found soft leaves and painful spikes of a particularly angry shrub, and despite the thorns digging into his palm and fingers, he didn't let go. In front of him, Token was yelling for Clyde to leave, and Clyde was yelling back that they didn't have walkie-talkies so he couldn't. "Craig!" Jimmy yelled, stomach-down in the dirt ahead of him. "Use the crutch!" He tossed one toward Craig, and he let go of the branch to grab it. 

Above him, the thing grabbing his leg sunk something into his thigh, and Craig hollered as he swung the crutch back. He hit a fleshy object, and there was another inhuman shriek immediately above him. "Shine your flashlight! Where's your flashlight!?" Clyde's voice. "Jimmy, I'm gonna drag you!" Token's voice. "Fuck it up, Super Craig!" Jimmy. Craig could feel himself dragged farther from his friends as he kept swinging the crutch above him. A warm liquid trickled down his leg, down his wrist, and he could feel his heartbeat everywhere. He could hear it in his ears. One more swing. It was getting harder to breathe. One more hit. His vision was fading in and out. One more-

_**CRACK** _

His leg dropped, and something thumped down beside him. He grabbed the crutch, and hobbled back on his good leg. He thought he felt blood running down his face, but realized he was crying seconds later. He called toward his friends, and up ahead Jimmy cheered. 

"Holy shit, Craig!" Token ran toward him.

Above them, the stars shimmered, and the leaves a brighter orange than his sister's hair floated to the ground. In the distance, Craig thought he could hear another shriek, but he wasn't about to stick around and find out. 

Token scrambled for his phone, face-down in the dirt. He shone the flashlight in front of them, and a short distance away, the treeline exposed a piece of the road.

"Let's get the fuck out of here."

 

 


	3. When It Rains, It Pours

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, if you've made it this far I'd just like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for commenting, leaving kudos, or simply just giving it a read! Lord knows it can be difficult to find time writing something like this, but your support and feedback really is worth it. Thanks again! And if you have any questions about the story or me or anything, just comment or message me and I'll respond asap.

Moonlight shone through the tops of the tall pines. The only sound was the dull crunch of deadened leaves underfoot, and an occasional shriek somewhere far off in the woods that chilled the boys to the bone. Token led the way, one hand lighting their path, the other around Craig as he hopped forward. Jimmy had strapped his crutches back on, and fell into step next to Clyde. Tweek was hanging limply on Clyde's shoulder, muttering under his breath. They didn't speak until they got to the treeline.

"That looks bad." It was Token, and he was gazing at Craig's leg in dismay. It took a minute for the words to register, but when they did, the pain seemed to strengthen. Token was right; it did look bad. There was a long rip in his jean, exposing deep gashes below his knee, and his entire pant leg was soaked through in blood. 

"Craig."

"What?" He looked back at Token, who was holding out his phone.

"I said that looks bad. And I can't get any service, so your leg better hold up until we get back." Craig took his phone and tried his contacts as Clyde climbed up the leafy roadside ditch. He set Tweek down on the grass beside the road, then helped Jimmy up the incline.

Every number he tried on the phone reached for signal, hesitated, then displayed a blinking **No Signal** that took up half the screen. After his sixth attempt, still with no luck, Craig gave up. "Maybe if we-" a strong gust of wind blew Craig's bangs into his eyes, and goosebumps rose on the tops of his arms. "Maybe we'll get better reception down the road."

As they made their way up the ditch, Token looked doubtful. "I don't know if you three are going to make it that far." Clyde had lain down next to Tweek on the worn asphalt, breathing heavily through his mouth. 

"L-L-Look guys, we c-can see the t-t-t-town from he-here." Jimmy was standing in the middle of the road, scanning for porch lights about a mile away. 

"There's no way..." Token trailed off, his face and shoulders crumpling.

"There's no way we'll all make it," Clyde finished for him, setting himself up on his elbows. "Not with your leg. And Crazy is a lot heavier than he looks." They all stared at Tweek, who had wrapped his arms around his own legs and begun rocking himself.

"Get...It's here. Out. Out of...my head. No. No. No. Get out."

Clyde gawked at him.

"We can't all m-make it." Jimmy continued, looking back at Token. "B-b-b-however, you c-can." 

 Token seemed to be at a loss for words, momentarily, then: "No. Absolutely not. I'm not leaving you here alone.  _Not_  a chance."

"I-it may be our only ch-ch-chance."

"We could have  _died_  in there Jimmy. And whatever that thing was," he said, pointed at the forest, "probably isn't that far behind us."

"It almost ripped Craig's fucking leg off!" Clyde added dramatically. "And Mad Hatter over here isn't doing too hot, either."

"So why are we sitting around talking about it? Token," Craig shoved the phone back in his friend's hand. "Take your phone and go get help."

Token gave the phone back. "We stick together. Either we all go or we all wait for help - but I am not leaving you here."

"St-stop being such a p-p-pussy, Token." He glared at Jimmy. "We all know you're ju-just scared t-t-to walk all the w-w-way t-to town by yours-yourself."

"Well, Courage, if you're so brave why don't you walk toward help?" Token challenged.

"Be-because, Genius, I c-can't walk."

Clyde stood up and put himself between the two of them. "It's fine, guys, stop fighting. I'll go."

"No. No one is leaving. That is a horrible plan and no one goes off on their own. We stick together."

"W-well I don't s-s-see you coming up with an-any b-b-bet-better ideas."

"We stay here and wait for help." Token said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Jimmy shook his head and scoffed. "I ask-asked for a b-better idea, not the "little b-bitch" one."

"Fuck you, dude."

"Y-y-your m-mother already d-d-did, last n-night."

"Are you _kidding_ me? Is now really the time-"

Clyde looked at Craig desperately. "Craig, help, whose bad idea is better?"

He didn't really know what to do. All he knew was that he wanted to get home as soon as possible. Craig wasn't the one with the ideas.

A tug at the bottom of his shirt pulled his attention away from the three of them. Tweek was crouched on the ground, holding his bloody hands. Craig knelt down. They didn't say anything for a while; just stared at each other like the answers to everything were held in one another. Maybe they were.

"Ruby," Tweek croaked, like his throat was sore from all the screaming and heaving and the constant cold of the Colorado night.

Craig didn't say anything, not understanding.

Tweek put a hand on top of Craig's, wrapping their fingers around Token's phone. "Ruby." 

Craig looked down at their intertwined hands. The colorful strings usually around Tweek's fingers were either missing or bloody. "Ruby. Ruby. Ruby." Tweek pulled away and cradled his fingers against his chest. "Ruby, Ruby, Ruby."

Craig stood up, wincing as the gash on his leg stretched and opened. Behind him, the others were still going at it, Token and Jimmy whisper-shouting at each other with Clyde's desperate and futile attempts to keep the peace. 

Craig said nothing, understanding.

He looked down at Tweek again, matted hair and dirty clothes and muddy fingers. He looked at Token's phone, smudged with Tweek's blood. He hoped he wasn't about to make a mistake.

Craig typed the number in with shaky fingers. He read the screen repeatedly, watching Tweek from the corner of his eye.

"Ruby Ruby Ruby Ruby Ruby-"

He pressed call.

The screen froze for a moment, searching for the kind of signal that would carry it across town. But then, it turned out, it didn't need too.

_Brnnngggg! Brnnngggg!_

They all stopped, even Tweek, and stared. Craig took a small step toward the noise, then another, willing his stone legs to move. The sound was getting louder, straight ahead and to his right, closer to the treeline than the soy field. Behind him, Tweek whined, "Oh god, it's real."

_Brnnngggg! Brnnngggg!_

He was right on top of it now. The sound drew him down, his fingers stiff and cold, gripping a purple flip phone buried in the roadside weeds. He snapped it up.

_Brnn-!_

"...Hello?"

"Hello?"

Craig looked back at his friends. They all stared at him with wide eyes.

"Hello?" He said again, speaking into the cracked screen. Token's phone echoed it once more. "Hello?"

"Holy shit, is that-" But Clyde never finished, because the shriek in the woods was louder, and angrier, and closer.

"Go! Go!" Token was yelling, pulling Tweek up from the ground and pushing him forward.  Craig ran after them, holding the phones in his chest. As he did, a warm liquid oozed down his leg, and his breath began to leave him. The hair on his neck stood up, and he dared to look back into the trees.

There was something there. He was sure of it. It crept out of the shadows, a light like fifty flashlights revealing it's features. It was large and skinny, and coming toward them, lurching forward in jerky movements, and-

_**THUD.** _

A cold, heavy object met Craig in his stomach before the concrete met his head. Craig coughed and sputtered, the red behind his eyes suddenly very bright. His ears rung, but he could still hear his friends yelling in panic. Something pulled him up, and a loud shot decorated the night air. Craig held his stomach and limped forward, cracking open his eyes and immediately finding himself blinded by the intense luminescence in front of him. He felt hands on his back, behind his head, and let himself be pushed into the stiff leather interior of a car. Doors slammed shut all around him, and he could hear the start of an engine. Then he passed out.

# # # 

"Oh my god, that's so much blood, that's-" Someone was gagging, and someone else had their hands pressed to Craig's face.

"I think he has a fever. Can you hear me, Craig?"

"Look, oh my god, he's bleeding all over the place. Oh my god, dude."

"Look at me Craig. Can you hear me?"

"S-stay with us, C-Craig."

"Stay with us."

# # #

The air was stuffy and carried the undertone of bleach. Craig's head throbbed, his mouth felt like cotton, and when he strained his ears the only noise he could hear was the dull hum and soft beeping of monitors. When he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw were the white, polystyrene grids of the ceiling. They sloped into the walls, a dim bedside lamp casting shadows onto the benign surface. There were two chairs under a cheap painting of a mountain. The one farthest from him was empty, but Craig recognized the coat thrown over it as his dad's. The second held his mother. Her hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail, and the skin under her eyes resembled dark crescent moons. She was sleeping soundlessly, in a ratty sweatshirt with her legs pulled up in the chair. Craig thought about how long it had been since he'd seen her dressed so casually; as if she didn't have a care in the world and wasn't an investment banker who spent twelve hours a day in her office. But even in her sleep, she looked stressed.

"You're awake."

Craig turned his head, wincing at the stiffness in his neck. Token was beside him in a flash, putting a another pillow behind his shoulders and helping him sit up.

Craig looked at his mom, making sure she was still asleep, then whispered, "where is everyone?"

Token's eyebrows drew together. "Jimmy and Clyde left this morning. They were going to wait for you to wake up, but..." Token trailed off, glancing at the door.

Craig nodded, despite not really understanding. "Where's Tweek?"

Token shifted uncomfortably. "He's okay. He's..."

"He what?" Craig pressed, trying to lean closer but finding it hard to move.

Token sighed. "He's in the psych ward, Craig."

Craig tried to breathe in, but his throat wouldn't let him do anything more than a gasp. "Oh."

Token looked back at him, serious. "There're some guys here. They've got, like, suits and guns and stuff. They're not from here. They're not from South Park."

Craig looked around the room again. The window in front of his bed was covered by curtains, but Craig could tell it was light outside. "Are we in South Park?"

Token shook his head. "No. The men...they brought us here. We're in Red Oak."

"Red Oak." Craig repeated, dazed. Red Oak was about twenty minutes away from South Park. Craig remembered his sister having a dance recital there once. "Why are we in Red Oak if I was bleeding out in the backseat of a car?"

Token looked tired, and Craig wondered if he had slept. "That's just where the men brought us."

"The men with guns...?" 

Token looked guilty. "They didn't talk to us. They didn't tell us anything. They just found us and brought us here."

Craig hugged his chest. "How _did_ they find us, Toke?"

The door to his room swung open, startling both boys. 

At once Craig was surrounded by the strong arms of his wide-toothed, teary-eyed father. Token stepped back awkwardly. "Craig, thank god. We thought-we thought-" His father pulled back and looked at Craig in his eyes. "We're so glad you're safe, kiddo." Craig found himself at a loss for words. Thomas Tucker didn't cry. Ever. Craig felt his own eyes welling up, and he looked away.

His dad cleared his throat. "I'll, uhm, go let your mother know you're up, yeah?" He said, walking over to Laura's seat.

"I've got to go," Token said from beside the bed. "My parents. They're waiting," he gestured to the door over his shoulder. "But I'll call you, and we'll see you back in South Park in a couple of days, right?"

"You're _all_ leaving?" Craig asked, his stomach dropping.

Token hesitated. "No, not all of us. I mean, school's tomorrow, and none of us are patients here except-"

"Craig!" His mother lurched from her chair and wrapped her arms around her son. Craig expected her to say something, but she didn't. She just pet his hair while his father stood silently nearby. Token stepped backward to the door, then stopped, as if he had reconsidered something. He walked forward again and held his fist out.

"I'll see you soon, dude." Craig reached out and met his fist bump. "For sure."

His mother had let go of him, but was still sitting on the side of his bed, her hand running absentmindedly through his hair. "We should probably let the doctors know he's up..." She began to say to his father. Token took the chance to lean in; a quick whisper in Craig's ear-

"Don't trust them."

Then his mother's arms were around him again, and Token was gone.

# # #

"Do you know who I am?"

Craig was groggy from the large amount of sleep and medication he'd been subjected to. But the man in front of him seemed to make him more alert. "You're a detective."

"That's right. I'm Detective Warren." He gestured lightly to the badge on his chest. "I'm one of the men who brought you here." They were alone in the room. His mother had left to get a few changes of clothes, and pick up Craig's cousin on her way back. His father politely let the two have their privacy so Craig could be "questioned" for a few moments. He silently wished his dad had stayed. "You had quite a scare." Detective Warren continued, leaning forward in his chair, his hands twined together.

Craig didn't say anything.

"Now," he continued, not seeming bothered in the least by Craig's lack of response. "I'm sure a smart kid like you knows what a detective does."

He kept silent again, but when it was evident the detective was waiting for a response, Craig mumbled, "you investigate crimes."

"Yes!" Craig flinched at the sudden noise level, but kept his composure. " _We_ _investigate crimes_. I knew you were smart."

Detective Warren pulled a notepad from his bag, and unclipped a pen from his suit jacket. "We investigate crimes and everything that goes along with them. The crime scenes, for example." He looked at Craig pointedly, and the boy suddenly felt very nervous. "Evidence, as well." He crossed one long leg over the other. "And, of course, our suspects."

Craig swallowed, and tried to find his voice. "I don't-" he cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, but I don't know what you're talking about." He wondered if whatever happened to him in the woods could be considered a crime scene. Craig hadn't really pondered it; maybe he just didn't want to.

The detective didn't say anything, instead reaching into his bag and pulling out a plastic baggie with a small, purple device in it. "That's my sister's phone." Craig said, rather loudly. He reached for it without thinking, and the man quickly pulled it out of his reach. 

"What were you doing in Ollpheist Forest Halloween night?" Detective Warren frowned. "A boy like you should be having fun, right? Getting candy? Your friends, too."

Craig gulped. His words were stuck in his throat like a lump of coal. "Where is my sister?"

"You tell me."

Craig's mind was spinning. Ruby was gone. He recalled Ruby's friend on Halloween, his parents worried glances his first day at the hospital, Token's guilty expression as they parted. Ruby's absence.

"My sister is missing." It wasn't a question. Craig knew. 

The detective leaned closer. "And you had her cellphone." 

Craig kept his signature straight-face, his drooping medicine-eyes only aiding his front, but inside he was gawking. "Am I a suspect?" Monotone.

Detective Warren narrowed his eyes. "What were you doing in the woods the night of your sister's disappearance?"

Craig wasn't sure how much he should tell the man. Token's last words rattled around in his head. "We just got lost." _Like you should be doing right now._ Craig shrugged nonchalantly. "We found her phone on the road." He wanted to ask what happened to Ruby, but felt like he had very few advantages in his current situation, and what he chose to say and _not_ say was definitely one of them. Beside, he doubted Detective Warren would tell him anything he wanted to know.

The detective made a _hmm_ sound in his throat, and pulled the phone out of it's bag. Craig wondered if he was allowed to touch the evidence like that. Then again, he also couldn't imagine anyone telling this man what to do.

"That's strange, because-" Detective Warren flipped Ruby's phone up, "-it seems your sister got a call from a number, -6430, around the time you were found by authorities." Craig could have scoffed, if he wasn't so worried. "Am I correct in believing that is your friend's, Mr. Black's, phone number?"

Craig hugged his sides. He could feel the bruises from last night forming beneath his skin. "Yes." It was soft, but they could both hear it clear as day.

"Now, what I can't seem to understand, Mr, Tucker, is why five boys in the woods on Halloween night would call a missing girl's phone." He flipped her phone shut, the **_snap_** resonating through the spacious hospital room.

"We were looking for her."

His answer surprised the detective as much as it surprised himself. "Excuse me?"

"We were looking for her." Craig couldn't stop the words. "Her friend came to my door. Said she didn't show up to go trick-or-treating with them. So we went looking for her."

The detective hesitated. "In the woods?"

Craig fiddled with the top of his blanket. "We got lost."

The man reached forward and placed his large hand on Craig's leg. He tried to pull back, confused by the contact, but Detective Warren kept a strong grip on Craig's calf. "And what happened here?" He squeezed the stitches into his leg, and Craig bit his lip to stifle a scream. He let the metallic taste of blood flooded his mouth before he answered.

"I-I lost my footing. Slid down the path and gotcaughtonatreelimb-" he rushed through the rest of his sentence, and the detective let up on the pressure. 

"And how exactly did you end up on the same path where your sister went missing?" Craig tried to pull away again, but Detective Warren dug his nails into the healthy skin beside his wound.

Craig winced, but kept his voice steady, unwavering from his story. "Like I said, we got lost. Went down the wrong path, I guess."

The detective paused, then smiled as if there was an enormous effort behind it. It held no warmth. "How lucky. But you should be more careful out there. If you go down the wrong path too many times, you might run into something tremendously unpleasant."

His eyes were sharp and dark. Instinct told Craig to avert his own eyes, but he gritted his teeth and forced himself to stare back into the man's glare. "Promise?"

Detective Warren chuckled, but there was no lightness in it. He stood up without another word and towered over the hospital bed menacingly, but didn't look back after gathering his things. Craig waited until the man had shut the door behind him before letting his breath out. He lifted the blanket at his feet, unsurprised that the bandage around his calf was newly red. He leaned back against the wall, trying in vain to silence the pulse in his leg and in his ears; Token's voice playing over and over again in his mind. 

_"Don't trust them."_


End file.
